Whether you’re looking for a weekend away or somewhere to visit for a week or two, Devon won’t disappoint. It’s a county that’s full of beautiful beaches, cream teas, fun activities and wonderful sights. We have rounded up the best family holidays in devon – those with activities on offer, great facilities, stunning locations and family hotels in Devon that all the family will love. The Devon family hotels and cottages we have rounded up are all ones to give everyone a proper break.
If you’re looking for family hotels Devon has a number that are perfect for visiting with kids and wherever possible these have been tried and tested by our team. We have also included fun Devon farm stay and cottage breaks in Devon to provide the perfect break. Where we haven’t yet been able to stay our list is based on thorough research – we have done all the leg work so you don’t have to.
Check out our list of accommodation to give you the best family holiday Devon has on offer. Click the ‘check availability here’ button to find out the cost of the hotel or cottage. We don’t link to anything or anywhere we wouldn’t stay in ourselves with our own children (and wherever possible we have).
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Table of Contents
Sidmouth
The Regency town of Sidmouth is a wonderful location in Devon for a family holiday. It has a great waterfront area and a lovely sand and shingle beach that is perfect for a trip with kids. There’s plenty to do here too, from kayaking to paddle boarding. There’s lots of cafes and restaurants and you can visit Sidmouth Museum to learn about the history of this pretty town or the adorable Donkey Sanctuary.
Victoria Hotel
The Victoria Hotel is one of the great family friendly hotels Devon has on offer and is one of the best in Sidmouth. It exudes old world luxury and is packed full of facilities, including indoor and outdoor heated pools that the kids will love. Set just 200 yards from the beach there is also an 18 hole putting green, tennis court and table tennis available to guests. They have brilliant family rooms right through to a three bedroom suite beside the outdoor pool. This is certainly one of the best luxury family holidays Devon has and a great stay for kids no matter what age.
Read more: The best weekend breaks for families
Saunton Sands
Saunton Sands is a lovely area of north Devon which is a short drive from Barnstaple (where you can find the Air Extreme Trampoline Park, Exmoor Zoo and JunglaRoo – north Devon’s largest indoor soft play centre). The beach here is fantastic and one of the best in the area.
Saunton Sands Hotel
This is a fantastic hotel, set on Saunton Sands and with lots of facilities for all the family to enjoy. The hotel has an indoor pool, tennis court, playground along with a great restaurant onsite and the Beachside Grill restaurant which is linked to Saunton Sands Hotel, just a short walk away. The hotel has a number of rooms in the original building and family sized apartments in a neighbouring block which while the common areas could do with some renovation, is a great stay for a family with lots of space and lovely seaside views. The hotel also offers a whole programme of entertainment and every day there are two hours of free childcare for under elevens. One of the best places to stay in Devon for families and one of the best family hotels north Devon in particular has on offer.
Holsworthy
The sweet town of Holsworthy has plenty of cafes and pubs and just a 20 minute drive to the beaches of Bude. There are lots of active pursuits in the area from mountain biking to kayakiing.
Holsworthy Holiday Cottages
One of the best stays in Devon, to really appreciate the countryside, has to be a stay in a lovely farm cottage. Holsworthy Holiday Cottages more than delivers on all counts with great accommodation set in 50 acres of grassland and well geared up for families with a children’s playground, fire pits to enjoy and a river for paddling in along with hiking and cycling routes nearby. The cottages sleep four and there are lots of animals on the farm for children to enjoy including pet sheep and ducks. With just two cottages on site this is a really tranquil location and a chance to enjoy the Devon countryside at its best.
Torquay
Torquay has so much going on for families including the the English Riviera Wheel, Bygones fantastic museum showing life through the centuries and the brilliant Babbacombe Cliff Railway. It’s the perfect spot for holidays in the UK with access to some wonderful beaches and plenty of activities.
The Imperial
Certainly in the running for one of the best family hotels in Torquay if not Devon, The Imperial Hotel is perfect for kids. The hotel has 152 rooms and many of them overlooking the beautiful sea here and across Torbay and the south Devon coast. They have inerconnecting rooms right through to two bedroom suites. There’s a kids play area, suitable for under 5s, heated indoor and outdoor pools, a tennis court and pool room. This is a great luxury family hotel Devon style.
Plymouth
Plymouth has some great activities in the city but is an easy gateway to the rest of Devon and some of the wonderful beaches nearby. In the centre it has the fabulous National Marine Aquariumn and Plymouth Hoe which is great for a wander and visit with kids.
China Fleet Country Club
China Fleet Country Club is a really well priced hotel, perfect for families looking for a getaway to Devon. They have a great indoor pool, fitness suite, tennis court, and Aqua Spa, all of which guests have access to. The hotel also boasts a championship golf course, 28-bay floodlit driving range and a Woodland Adventure Golf Course. For families they have apartments with sofa beds. The hotel is great fun for families and just five miles outside of Plymouth. This is a great family hotel Devon style.
Croyde
If you or your kids are in to surfing, or want to give it a try, then Croyde is the location for you. It’s a beautiful beach and the sweetest little town with all the typical Devon delights like fudge and pasties.
Croyde Bay Holiday Park
Croyde Bay Hotel and holiday park is full of various different styles of accommodation from a traditional hotel through to static caravan and lodges. There’s plenty here for families with a restaurant, tennis court and fantastic indoor heated pool. The setting is everything with this holiday park though, Croyde is a wonderful location and this is one of the best family hotels in north Devon.
Exeter
If you’re looking for a Devon city break then Exeter could be the location for you. There’s lots of fun to be had in the city with a visit to the medieval underground passages, Powderham Castle and the nearby Crealy Theme Park & Resort. This is perfect for a city break that all the family will enjoy.
Mercure Exeter Rougemont Hotel
The Mercure Exeter Rougemont Hotel is right in the centre of the city, opposite Exeter Central Rail Station and exudes history. The rooms are large and they also have interconnecting rooms for families, all at a great price.
Salcombe
Salcombe is perfect for family holidays in Devon and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. It has a series of picturesque streets together with the sweetest coves and harbourfront. It really is Devon at its best. It’s somewhere to come and relax and indulge in some shopping and eating at the very nice shops and restaurants the town is filled with.
Soar Mill Cove Hotel & Spa
Soar Mill Cove feels like a tranquil break away from the world, set close to a hidden cove this is somewhere that is wonderful in all seasons. With 22 rooms, inlcuding great two bedroom family rooms, 2 self catering units and a holiday house to rent this is a hotel that you will want to return to time and time again. It’s another one of the great family hotels in Devon with a swimming pool and this one is gorgeous and perfectly warm. The family suites are great, with a separate bedroom for the children. There’s a lovely lounge from which you can see the sea beyond and there are games to play here and cream teas to be taken. It’s a short, lovely walk down to the idyllic Soar Mill Cove where the waves crash in winter and it’s perfect for rockpooling and there’s a lovely sandy stretch of beach for sandcastle building in the summertime. The food at Soar Mill Cove Hotel & Spa is exceptional and it’s only a short trip in to wonderful Salcombe with all its boutiques and restaurants. One of the best family hotels in Devon.
Read more: Our full review Soar Mill Cove, Devon
Read more: The best luxury family hotels UK
Mortehoe
Mortehoe is a very sweet village in north Devon. It’s a place to get away from the world but gives easy access in to the pretty town of Woolacombe or the shopping and leisure opportunities in the busy Barnstaple which is a 10 mile drive away.
Siren
Why not have a real Famous Five style adventure and stay in a lighthouse keepers cottage. This characterful cottage is part of a refurbished former lighthouse based just outside of the lovely village of Mortehoe in north Devon. The lovely town of Woolacombe is close by for trips out too. Sleeping five there is everything you need here for a very comfortable stay including a welcome hamper.
Barnstaple
On first glance Barnstaple is a busy hub, particularly compared to so many other pretty towns and villages in the county. This is another great gateway to the beaches here. Visit Arlington Court country house and the fun Broomhill Sculpture Gardens.
The Barnstaple Hotel
The Barnstaple Hotel is perfect for family holidays in Devon. The hotel has indoor and outdoor swimming pools so there’s plenty to enjoy onsite. The hotel is also just a 15 minute walk in to the centre of town and Exmoor Zoo is a 20 minute drive away. If you want to visit the beautiful north Devon beaches these are just a 10 minute drive away. The hotel has really great family rooms so there’s space for everyone.
We hope this review of the best family holidays in Devon has been helpful for you. Do let us know if you have any questions or if you book a stay and how it goes. Why not check out our list of the best family holidays in the UK for more suggestions of where to stay in the UK. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to to be the first to hear about great offers and deals.
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